If you have an electronic device which isn’t in the warantee period and has broken, don’t worry – you may have rights. Nowadays, we don’t expect electronic goods to last forever; We accept that they have a shelf life but sometimes, the shelf life is shorter than it should be. And what happens if you bought something in a different country, like your iPod? Just because something is out of it’s warranty does not mean that your rights automatically expire too.

Although retailers may not be so keen to hear, the UK’s Sale of Goods Act gives you potential rights for up to 6 years, and many other countries have something similar in place. However, you have to be reasonable – what did you buy, how much did you pay, how much wear and tear has occurred, and is it a reasonable assumption it should last longer?

If an electronic device goes wrong in the first 12 months, it may not be of ‘satisfactory quality’. Just because it worked fine on the day you bought it, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t also allow you to get decent usage out of it at home too. The first thing you should do is to take the item back to the shop you bought it from and argue that the goods were not of satisfactory quality – if you are in the UK, quote the Sale of Goods Act. This gives you the right to have your item repaired or replaced. Should the retailer be difficult, consider going to court.

For UK citizens, the small claims court procedure has gotten easier. You can claim up to £5,000 and you can start your claim online (for a small fee). There is a ‘no costs’ rule so you won’t have to pay the retailer’s legal bills. You will probably have to show that the item had an actual fault – and that the fault was not as a result of damage inflicted by you, eg you dropping it on the floor. The best thing to do here is to get an indepedent, expert report done. If your claim is successful, the retailer will have to foot the report for the bill (if it is of a reasonable amount).

If you aren’t happy with going to court, consider going for a mediation service. The mediators should avoid taking sides and they will keep the discussions flowing. Mediation can take place at a convenient time and can even be done over the phone.

So, if your electronic goods fail, don’t lose hope…what have you got to lose? It’s worth having a go at getting a replacement!

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